Flax thkeshing machine



(No Model.

J. SWITZER. FLAX THBESHING MAGHINB.

[Patented Nov. 23,' 1897.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. SWITZER. Y FLAX THRBSHING MACHINE.

No. 594,104. Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

. J. SWITZER, PLAX THRESHING MACHINE. No. 594,104. Patented Nov. 23,1897.

NITED STATESv JOHN SWITZER, OF SAN FRANOISVOQOALIFORNIA.

FLAx-THRESHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 594,104, dated November 23, 189'?.

' Application iiled OGOlOt/I 2, 1896. Serial No. 607,693. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN SWITZER, a citizen ofthe United States,residin g at San Francisco, in thecounty of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FlaX- Threshing Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful flax threshing or separating machine which consists in the arrangement of parts and details of construction as will be hereinafter fully set forth in the drawings and described and pointed outin the specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine by means of which the`seed of the flax may be separated from the straw without mutilating or damaging the straw, thus enabling the uninjured straw to be used in the manufacture of fiber.

In order to fully comprehend the invention, reference must be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, forming a part of this application, wherein- Figure l is a side View in elevation, partly broken away, of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation, partly broken, of the machine viewed from the feed end. Fig. 4L is a detail broken View of one of the comb-cylinders, the comb or separating fingers being shown in position. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional ltop plan View of one of the comb-cylinders, the comb or separating fingers being in position. Fig. 6 is a broken detail view, in side elevation, showing one of the endless carriers for the flax, one of the drive-wheels, and two of the clamping-jaws secured to the endless carrier. Fig. 7 is a detail top plan cross-sectional view on line y y, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the comb or separating lingers. Fig. 9is a similar view of one of the blocks for holding the iingers apart, and Fig. l0 is a cross-sectional view of one of the comb or separating fingers.

In the drawings the letter Ais used to designate any suitable frame or housing within which the separating or threshing mechanism for the liaX is located, which frame or housing is provided with an inclined or sloping bottom A'. Within the housing a short distance above its tapering bottom are secured in suitable bearings the cross-shafts A2 A3, one near each end of the housing. Upon the shaft A2 are secured the polygonalwheels B, three in number, and upon the cross-shaft A3 similarshapedv wheels B. Over these wheels longitudinally travel" the endless carriers for the bundles of flax from which the seed'is to be separated, which carriers in the present case consist of three endless chains, each chain being composed of links or sections a a', united by a rule-joint or hinge d2.

On one end of the cross-shaft A3 is secured the worm gear-wheel B3, which meshes with the worm B4, secured upon the short longitudinalshaft B5, working in bearings within the housing A. This shaft has the belt-wheel l secured thereon and is driven by abelt (not shown) which passes over the belt-wheel 2 and belt-wheel l. The belt-wheel 2 is fastened upon the shafting 3, working in bearing 4, secured to the top of the housing A, which shafting is driven by the longitudinal shaft O, working in bearing 5, through the medium of the belt O', which works over the belt-wheel 6, secured upon the shaft C near its rear end, and belt-wheel 7, secured upon the'shaft 3 in advance of the belt-wheel 2. The shafting O is driven from the motor'- wheel 8 by means of the endless belt 9, which works over the motor-wheel 8 and the beltwheel l0, secured upon the shaft C, near its forward end.

The endless carriers have secured thereto a series of clamping-jaws which receive the bundles of liax from the feed trough or runway C2 and convey the bundles past the separating devices for the iiaxseed and deliver the bundles,with the seed removed, into a discharge-runway O3, which leads from the rear end of the housing. Each clamping-jaw is composed of two curved lingers or arms D D', the nger or arm D being secured to and upwardly projecting from thesection or link a of the endless carrier and the opposing finger or arm D being secured to and upwardly projecting from the section or link c of the said carrier, which link or section is hinged to its opposing link or section d. The lingers or arms being thus secured, it is obvious that they will move toward or from each ICO other in order to close or open the clampingjaws as the endless carriers are carried over the drive-wheels B B. The fingers or arms D of each clamping-jaw are made somewhat longer than the opposing fingers or arms D in order that as the endless carriers travel over the drive-wheels B the said fingers or arms will extend or project upwardly into the lower curved end C4 of the feed-chute and remove the bundle or sheaf D5 of flax from within its seat in said chute.

Between the cross-shafts A2 A2 or drivewheels B B are located, atA one side of the endless carrier, the vertical cylinders D3 D4, which cylinders stand at a right angle to the horizontally-traveling endless carriers. These cylinders are secu red upon the vertical shafts E E', which shafts work in bearings b Z9. To the upper end of the vertical shaft E is secured the belt-wheel E2, and to the upper end ot' the vertical shaft E is secured the beltwheel E3, which wheels are connected to the belt-wheels F F', respectively, secured upon the drive-shaft C, through the medium of the belts F2 F2. These belts are crossed in order that the motion of the drive-shaft transmitted thereby will impartan opposite rotation to the vertical lshafts E E', so that one of the cylinders D3 Dtl will rotate in one direction while the opposing cylinder is rotated in an opposite direction.

Each cylind er is provided with two or more vertical dovetail grooves d, within which is fitted the dovetail inner end or butt d of the comb or separating teeth G. These comb or separating teeth are formed at a gradual inclined taper in order that the outer end may stand at an angle to the inner end, Fig. 5. Between each tooth are inserted within the dovetail grooves of the vertical cylinders the separating-blocks d2. The blocks cl2 may vary in thickness, so as to increase or decrease the distance between the comb or separating fingers or teeth in order to adapt the teeth to successfully act upon the various grades of the fiax to be threshed or separated. When the teeth are in position, two rows or combs will be provided for each cylinder, Fig. 4t. In building the rows of teeth a tooth is iirst inserted'or forced down in the dovetail grooves of the cylinders and then a separating-block, and so on until the row of teeth has been constructed, when the teeth an d separating-block of each row are secured in position by the key d3.

NVithin the inclined bottom of the housing or frame is arranged the transverse endless conveyer-belt G2, which belt travels over drums h 7i', secured, respectively, upon the short shafts h2 h3, located at each side of the housing. The motion of the cross-shaft A3 is transmitted to the shaft 71,2 in order to drive the conveyer-belt through the medium ofthe endless belt I-l, which belt passes over a beltwheel l2, secured upon one end of the crossshaft A3, and over a belt-wheel 13, secured upon the shaft h2.

The conveyer-belt G2 is between. l a d', composing the carriers, are united by a rule-joint or hinge it is obvious that, as the tating vertical cylinder D3.

provided with a series of upwardly-projecting blades or plates H', located equidistant apart. The flax-seeds as separated from the flax fall upon this transverse conveyer-belt between the blades or plates Il' and are carried by said belt to one side and deposited upon an elevator, (not shown,) which conveys the seed to any suitable place for further treatment.

Motion being imparted to the various shaftings in order to set in motion the different parts operated thereby, the separation of the seed from the flax will be as follows: The `bundle or sheaf D5 of fiax is fed into the machine by the runway or chute C2, the lower bundle or sheaf resting inthe curved end or seat C4 of the chute. As the endless carriers are carried around or over the polygonal drivewheels B B the clamping-jaws will approach y the bundle or sheaf in an open position, and

as the jaws move past the curved end of the runway the extended portion of the arm D will pass beneath the lowerinost bundle or sheaf of flax, raise the same from within its seat, and deposit it between the arms D D. The hinged links or sections a d' of the end- ;'less carrier as moved over the faces of the `driving-wheels gradually assume a straight line or come together, so as to close the arms of the clamping-jaws tightly or firmly around the sheaf or bundle of iiax deposited there- Inasmuch as the sections or links clampingjawsl move beyond the forward drive-wheels B, that portion of the carriers between the drive-wheels B B will forin a rigid bar. The bundle or sheaf being firmly clamped is carried past the rst set of comb or separating fingers secured within the ro- As the bundle or sheaf moves past this cylinder, which we will suppose to be revolving from right to left, the vertical rows of teeth or fingers will enter between the heads of the fiax and thresh or beat out the seeds from the straw or stalk, the teeth or arms, owing to their peculiar shape, striking the seed or grain at an angle. The bundle or sheaf being carried past the first set of comb or separating fingers is met by the second set mounted in the rotatable vertical cylinder D4. These teeth, as the cylinder DAx is revolved in an opposite direction to the cylinder D2, beat or move through the bundle opposite to the teeth of the cylinder D3, thus threshing out all seeds left by the fingers of the first cylinder. By the time the bundle of flax is moved or carried out'of reach of the second set of teeth all seeds Will have been threshed out of the straw or bundle. The seed as separated or threshed out fall into the inclined bottoni of the hous ing and are deposited upon the endless conveyer G2, by means of which it is conveyed to a suitable place of deposit. The links of the endless carriers as moved over the drivewheels B' gradually turn downward or lnove IOO IIO

apart, so as to open the arms of the clamping-jaws and permit the threshed bundle of ax to roll therefrom into the discharge chute or runway C3, by means of which it is conveyed from within the housing of the machine. Of course it will be understood that the bundles or sheaves of iiax are fed into the machine with the heads thereof toward the revolving comb or separating fingers.

lWhile three endless carriers have been shown and three polygonal drive Wheels mounted upon each cross-shaft A2 A3, it is obvious that only one endless carrier and only one drive wheel or cylinder for each cross-shaft need be employed.

By the use of this machine the straw of the flax during the operation'of threshing or separating the seed is not damaged or injured and when discharged from the machine may be successfully utilized for the manufacture of fiber. Each sheaf or bundle during the travel of the endless carrier is automatically removed from within the feed-chute, clamped, and after being threshed or having the seeds removed is likewise discharged from the clamping-jaws.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new, and'desired to be protected by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a flax-threshing machine, the combination with the horizontally-traveling endless-chain carrier composed of a series of links united by a rule-joint, of the end wheels over which said carrier travels, of mechanism for driving one of said wheels, the automatically opening and closing clamping-jaws secured to and operated by the travel of the horizontally-travelin g endless carrier over the end wheels, said jaws consisting of two curved fingers or arms which are secured to opposing links of the carrier, and of the verticallyarranged rotary threshing devices located between the end wheels, which devices thresh the bundles of sheaves as carried past by the endless carrier. y

2. In a flax-threshing machine, the combination with the horizontallytraveling endlesschain carrier said carrier consisting of a series of links united by a rule-joint, of mechanism for driving the same, a series of clamping devices for receiving and holding the bundles secured to and carried and operated by the movement of the endless carrier, each clamping device consisting of two ngers or arms secured to opposing links of the carrier, and of vertically-arranged 'rotating devices for threshing the bundles or sheaves as carried by the endless carrier.

3. In a threshing-machine for ax, the combination with the horizontally-traveling endless-chain carrier, of the end wheels over which saidendless-chain carrier tra vels,mech anism for driving one of said end wheels, a series of automatically operated clamping devices for the bundles or sheaves secured to and carried and operated by the movement of the endless carrier, and of the vertically-ar-A wheels over which the said` carrier travels, a

series of clamping -jaws composed of two curved arms each arm being secured to an independent link'or section of the endless carrier, mechanism for driving the endless carrier and causing the clamping-jaws to automatically close and open in order to clamp the bundles or sheaves and discharge the same, of devices rotating in a plane at an angle to the traveling carrier in order to separate the seed from the flax, and of mechanism for rotating the threshing device in opposite directions.

5. In a dax-threshing machine, the combination with the horizontallytraveling endless-chain carrier composed of a series of links united by a rule-joint, of the end wheels which support and over which the endless-chain carrier travels, a series of automatically opening and closing clamping devices for the bundles or sheaves secured to and carried and operated by the movement of the carrier, each clamping device consisting of a pair of iingers or arms which are secured to opposing links of the carrier, mechanism for driving the carrier, a cylinder arranged at an angle to the endless carrier, mechanism for imparting rotary movement to the cylinder, and of the comb or separating teeth or fingers removably secured to and carried by the said cylinder, which teeth or ngers as carried around engage the head of the bundles or sheaf of IiaX and remove or separate the seed therefrom.

6. In a flaxthreshing machine, the combination with the endless horizontally-travelin g chain carrier, of the end wheels which support and over which the endless carrier works, the clamping devices secured to and carried and operated by the movement of said carrier, mechanism for driving the said endless carrier, a pair of rotating comb-cylinders carrying comb teeth or fingers arranged at an angle to the endless carrier, the comb teeth or fingers of which cylinders engage with the head of the bundles held Within the clamping devices and separate the seed therefrom, and of mechanism for communicating opposite rotation to the two comb-cylinders.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of A August, 1896.

JOHN SWITZER.

Witnesses:

LEE D. CRAIG, N. A. AcKER.

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